Wegmans begins operating Cheese Caves

Wegmans Food Markets Inc. began full operations Monday at its Cheese Caves, a 12,300-square-foot building modeled after cheese caves found in Europe.

Eric Meredith, a trained chef and registered dietician, oversees the facility and the staff is expected to add seven full-time jobs to the local economy over the next three years.

The facility is believed to be among the first such facilities among supermarkets in the nation.

The main draw of the location is the ripening process that takes place in the high-tech building.

“Our customers will get a cheese that’s absolutely perfect, with the taste and texture they prefer, every time,” said Cathy Gaffney, director of specialty cheeses, deli and kosher deli for Wegmans in a statement.

A brie room and seven “caves”—185 to 200 square feet each—are housed within the building. Eight different kinds of cheese can be ripened in the facility at one time.

Only soft cheeses, such as Prestige de Bourgogne, will be housed in the building, as hard cheeses are fully aged before shipment to the United States, the company said.

“Building the Cheese Caves lets us take our commitment to customers who enjoy premium, artisanal cheese to the next level,” Gaffney said. “In the last 10 years, the interest customers have shown in the world’s best cheeses has grown phenomenally. Many have traveled abroad, tasted the best and want that kind of enjoyment available at home.”